Re: Pentax DA lens shortage? (WAS: Re: Pentax 1Q news FY-05)

[Gonz]

I don't know where the shortage is, but I suspect that it is with high 
volume internet sales shops like adorama and B&H.  I saw two copies of 
the 16-45DA at my local photo shop, the price was about $100 more than 
B&H, but at least it was local.  I called another shop that I have used 
before in another city not too far, and they also had two copies of the 
same lens.  Their price was a more reasonable $20 more than B&H.  So 
where is the shortage?

P�l Jensen wrote:
Joseph wrote:
I think Pentax might have made more money if they had roused themselves to produce 
enough DA 16-45 lenses to meet demand. Pentax are shooting themselves in their feet.
REPLY:
I don't think Pentax is to blame. It is all due to the local distributors who apparently didn't order enough of them. Nowadays lenses and cameras are made on the "just in time" principle where subcontractors are shipping the parts to Pentax as short time as possible before assembly of the product. Pentax take preorders from the various distributors world-wide, and they have to decide how many they want of the product and Pentax then make it. Hence, almost everything is made on order. It may also take months until the next batch are made of the same product depending on order build up. You can be sure that the guy building the DA lenses has been busy assembling other lenses like the new D FA macros. 

P�l